August 28, 2002
SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING COMMISSION
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
CITY AND COUNTY OF
SAN FRANCISCO
Notice of Hearing on Application
For Zoning Variance
CITY HALL - Room 408
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
Session Begins at 9:30 A.M.
Public Hearing
Lawrence B. Badiner, Zoning Administrator
Thomas Wang, Variance Coordinator
Notice is hereby given to the general public and to owners of the subject property and other property within 300 feet that an application for variance under the City Planning Code as described below has been filed with the Zoning Administrator.
Any remaining questions concerning this application review process may be answered by the Planning Information Center at (415) 558-6377.
Variance Calendars are available on the Internet at http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/planning/variance.htm.
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For more information on your rights under the Sunshine ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code) or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact Donna Hall, Administrator, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 409, by phone at (415) 554-7724, by fax at (415) 554-7854 or by E-mail at Donna_Hall@ci.sf.ca.us.
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ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
NOTICE OF HEARING ON
APPLICATION FOR ZONING VARIANCE
Notice is hereby given to the general public and to owners of the subject property and other property within 300 feet that an application for variance under the City Planning Code as
described below has been filed with the Zoning Administrator and will be considered at a PUBLIC HEARING to be held on Wednesday, August 28, 2002, City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 408 as follows:
9:30 A.M.
(KAYE SIMONSON)
1. 2002.0577V: 25 SCENIC WAY, south side between 25th and 26th Avenues; Lot 15 in Assessor's Block 1304 in an RH1 (D) (House, 1-Family, Detached) District and a 40X Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to construct a dormer at the second floor on the rear-facing roof of the west portion of the house. The proposed outside face of the dormer will align with the first floor rear wall. The dormer will be set in 6 feet 3 inches from the side property line and will be 12 feet wide.
Section 134 of the Planning Code requires that the rear yard shall be equal to 25% of the lot depth, but in no case less than 15 feet. The majority of the existing rear yard is compliant, but due to the irregular lot shape, the rear yard where the dormer is proposed measures 10 feet.
Section 188 of the Planning Code prohibits the expansion of a non-complying structure. Because a portion of the existing building already encroaches into the required rear yard, it is considered a legal, non-complying structure. Therefore, expansion as proposed would be contrary to Section 188.
(JAMILLA VOLLMANN)
2. 2002.0629V: 525 23RD AVENUE, west side between Anza and Balboa Streets, Lot 006 in Assessor's Block 1566 in an RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
DWELLING UNIT EXPOSURE VARIANCE SOUGHT: The subject property contains two buildings, one at the front of the property and one at the rear, each containing a dwelling unit. The proposal is to construct decks and an addition to the rear of the front building. A yard separates the two buildings. The proposal includes a one-story rear addition that extends 18 feet into the yard and an 84 square foot addition above. The rear portion of the proposed one-story addition would extend 9 feet into the required open area of the lot.
Section 140 of the Planning Code requires that each dwelling unit face either a public street, public alley at least 25 feet in width, side yard at least 25 feet in width, a code-complying rear yard, or an open area at least 25 feet in every horizontal dimension. The proposed addition would encroach into this required open area between the two buildings on the subject property. The existing unobstructed distance between the buildings is 27 feet. The proposal would reduce this distance to 16 feet. Therefore, the rear building does not meet the Section140 dwelling unit exposure requirement.
(JAMILLA VOLLMANN)
3. 2002.0841V: 3655 CLAY STREET, between Spruce and Locust Streets, Lot 025 in Assessor's Block 1011, in an RH-1 (Residential, House, Single-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD VARIANCE SOUGHT: The applicant proposes to construct a one-story, 507 square feet, addition at the rear of a single-family house. The proposed addition would be situated along the southwest portion of the lot. The proposed addition would be 48 feet deep and from 10 to 14 feet wide. The rear 27-foot portion of the proposed addition would encroach into the required rear yard.
This proposal constitutes a revision to the previous rear yard Variance 2002.0079V granted on March 25, 2002. The revision includes a 3-foot side setback to the rear 14 feet of the addition.
Section 134(a)(1) of the Planning Code requires that the rear yard in an RH-1 District be at least 25 percent of the total lot depth of the lot on which the building is situated, but in no case less than 15 feet. The minimum required rear yard for this lot is 32 feet. The existing rear yard is 53 feet and the proposed rear yard would be 5 feet.
(MICHAEL SMITH)
4. 2002.0580V: 90 MARS STREET, west side of the street between 17th Street and Corbett Avenue; Lot 016 in Assessor's Block 2654 in a RH2 (Residential, House, TwoFamily) District and a 40X Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to construct two dwelling units on a vacant lot with one dwelling and two parking spaces to be located at the rear of the lot fronting on Deming Street.
Section 134 of the Planning Code requires a minimum rear yard depth of approximately 59-feet for the subject property, measured from the rear property line. The proposed dwelling unit fronting on Deming Street would extend to the rear property line encroaching 59-feet into the required rear yard.
(MICHAEL SMITH)
5. 2002.0640V: 787 CASTRO STREET, east side of the street between 21st and Liberty Streets; Lot 026 in Assessor's Block 3603 in an RH2 (Residential, House, TwoFamily) District and a 40X Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to legalize construction of a two-story rear horizontal addition, the first floor of which encroaches into the required rear yard. The original plans inaccurately showed the adjacent building affecting how the rear yard for the subject property is calculated such that the proposed addition did not comply with the Code.
Section 134 of the Planning Code requires a minimum rear yard depth of approximately 32-feet for the subject property, measured from the rear property line. The proposed addition would extend to within approximately 30-feet 3 inches of the rear property line encroaching 1'-9 into the required rear yard.
(SARA VELLVE)
6. 2002.0641V: 40 VILLA TERRACE, east side between Pemberton Place and Twin Peaks Blvd; Lot 032 in Assessor's Block 2661 in an RH-1 (House, One Family) District and 40-X Height/Bulk District.
FRONT SETBACK VARIANCE SOUGHT: A request for an exception to the front setback requirement to construct a two-car garage for the subject property. The garage will extend approximately five feet into the required front setback and to the front property line, which abuts Villa Terrace.
Section 132 of the Planning Code requires a minimum front setback of approximately five feet for the subject property, measured from the front property line.
(SARA VELLVE)
7. 2002.0647V: 3636 – 17TH STREET, north side between Abbey and Dolores Streets; Lot 013 in Assessor's Block 3566 in an RM-1 (Mixed, Low Density) District and 40-X Height/Bulk District.
VARIANCES SOUGHT: Parking and open space variances are requested to establish a fourth dwelling unit that has existed in the building without the benefit of permits for over forty years. The rear yard variance is requested to legalize a deck constructed without permits.
Parking: A request for an exception to the parking requirement of one parking space for each dwelling unit per Section 151. The building does not provide any off-street parking as it was constructed prior to such requirements.
Open Space: A request for an exception to the open space requirement of 100 square feet of private open space per Section 135. The required open space for the subject unit cannot be established due to existing lot coverage.
Rear Yard: A request for an exception to Section 134 requiring a minimum rear yard depth of 30 feet measured from the rear property line. The existing building encroaches into the required rear yard and the deck abuts the rear property line.
(MICHAEL LI)
8. 2002.0346V: 1301-1327 POLK STREET, northwest corner at Bush Street; Lot 003 in Assessor's Block 0667 in the Polk Street Neighborhood Commercial District and a 65-A Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD, OPEN SPACE, AND DWELLING UNIT EXPOSURE VARIANCES SOUGHT: The proposal is to convert the residential and tourist hotel rooms on the second through fifth floors of the existing building into 72 units of senior housing. The existing retail spaces on the ground floor will remain as retail uses. There will be no physical expansion of the existing building.
Section 134 of the Planning Code requires a minimum rear yard depth of 21 feet, 9 inches for the subject property, measured from the rear property line. The existing building already covers the entire lot and encroaches into the rear yard.
Section 135 of the Planning Code requires for the subject property 18 square feet of private usable open space or 24 square feet of common usable open space for each unit of senior housing. Usable open space must meet certain minimum standards, and once provided, it cannot be removed. The proposed project will not provide any usable open space.
Section 140 of the Planning Code requires every dwelling unit to face onto a public street, a public alley at least 25 feet in width, a rear yard that meets the requirements of the Code, or an open area at least 25 feet in every horizontal dimension. Of the 72 proposed senior housing units, 32 units will face onto an interior court and will not comply with this requirement.
(NEIL BRANTLEY)
9. 2002.0567V: 969-971 LOMBARD STREET, south side between Jones and Leavenworth Streets, Lot 050 in Assessor's Block 0072 in an RM-1 (Residential, Mixed District, Low Density) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to replace the existing decks at the rear of the building. A new roof deck will be constructed on the roof of the existing two-story extension. There will be a new catwalk connecting the new roof deck with the upper-most level of the replacement decks.
Section 134 of the Planning Code requires a minimum rear yard depth of 61 feet, 10.5 inches for the subject property, measured from the rear property line. The proposed catwalk and roof deck would extend to within 42 feet, 4 inches of the rear property line and encroach into the required rear yard
(MAT SNYDER)
10. 20021040V: 520 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUE, (AKA 510-514 South Van Ness Avenue), west side between 16th Street and 17th Street, Lot 2 in Assessor's Block 3570,in a C-M (Heavy Commercial) District, and a 50-X Height and Bulk District.
PARKING VARIANCE SOUGHT. The proposal is to add a two-story addition to the existing three-story single resident occupancy hotel that would include 76 new group housing rooms.
Planning Code Section 151 requires one additional parking space for every additional three group housing rooms or for every six additional group housing beds, whichever is greater. The proposal would include 76 additional group housing rooms (or 76 additional group housing beds) requiring an additional 25 off-street parking spaces. No off-street parking spaces are proposed as part of the project thereby requiring a Parking Variance.
(MAT SNYDER)
11. 2002.0039V: 316 WILDE AVENUE, an irregularly shaped through lot that faces Wilde Avenue on its south side and Goettingen Street on its northeastern side; the lot is within the City block bounded by Wilde Avenue, Goettingen Street, Harkness Avenue and Rutland Street, Lot 74 in Assessor's Block 6177, in an RH-1 (House, Single-family) District, and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
LOT SIZE AND LOT WIDTH VARIANCES SOUGHT. The proposal is to subdivide the existing 3,964 square foot lot into two lots. One of the proposed new lots would face Wilde Avenue and would measure 25-feet by 100-feet. The other new lot would face Goettingen Street and would have an irregular shape, would be approximately 72-feet deep and would have an area of approximately 1,467 square feet.
Planning Code Section 121(d) requires all newly created lots have a minimum lot width of 25-feet. The new lot that would face Goettingen Street would be narrower than 25-feet for a majority of its depth.
Planning Code Section 121(e) requires all newly created lots that are greater than 120-feet away from an intersection be at least 2,500 square feet in area. The proposed new lot that would face Goettingen Street would only have an area of approximately 1,467 square feet.
(KATE MCGEE)
12. 2002.0463V: 1668 ALABAMA STREET, east side, between Norwich and Precita; Lot 011 in Assessor's Block 5526. The property is located in a RH-2 (Residential House, Two Family) District, in a 40-X Height and Bulk District, and in the Bernal Heights Special Use District.
PARKING VARIANCE SOUGHT The proposed addition of 578.5 square feet to the existing single-family dwelling would require the dwelling unit to provide two off-street parking spaces. The dwelling unit currently contains one off-street parking space. No additional parking is proposed.
Planning Code Section 242(e)(4)(B)(i) requires additions of over 200 square feet to meet the parking standards as outlined for new construction in the Bernal Heights Special Use District.
(DAN SIDER)
13. 2002.0106V: 848 - 850 ARKANSAS STREET, west side, between Madera and 23rd Streets; Lots 28 and 29 in Assessor’s Block 4162, in an RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
LOT WIDTH AND AREA VARIANCES SOUGHT: The proposal is to adjust an existing lot line so that two lots, one of 20 feet in width and the other of 30 feet in width, are created from two lots each 25 of feet in width. The existing and proposed lots are all 100 feet deep.
A two-family dwelling currently occupies all of the street frontage on Lot 28 (the northern lot) and approximately 5 feet of street frontage on the northernmost portion of Lot 29 (the southern lot). A one-story garage structure occupies the balance of the street frontage on Lot 29. The proposal involves shifting the shared lot line southward so that the existing two-family dwelling is located entirely on Lot 28 and only the garage structure is located on Lot 29. The garage structure would then be demolished and a new two-unit residential building providing two spaces of off-street parking would be constructed. The proposed construction will be subject to additional noticing and public comment.
Planning Code Section 121(d)(2) requires that in the RH-2 Zoning District, each lot shall have a minimum lot width of 25 feet. Planning Code Section 121(e)(2) requires that in the RH-2 Zoning District, each lot shall have no less than 2,500 square feet of lot area. Under the proposed conditions, Lot 29 will have only 20 feet of street frontage and only approximately 2,000 square feet of lot area.
(DAN SIDER)
14. 2002.0189V: 843 SOUTH VAN NESS AVENUE, east side between 19th and 20th Streets; Lot 022 in Assessor's Block 3594 in an RH-3 (Residential, Houses, Three-Family) District and a 50-X Height and Bulk District.
REAR YARD VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to modify a previously approved (but as yet unbuilt) addition to an existing three-story, three-unit residential structure by allowing the retention of a 20 square foot portion of the existing structure on the northeast corner of each of three stories. The previously authorized addition (approved by the Planning Commission in May, 2002) would construct rear and lateral additions to the existing building, resulting in the creation of five new dwelling units for a total of eight units. This authorization was conditional based on either (a) alterations to the project to render it Code-compliant or (b) the justification of a Variance – the subject of this hearing.
Section 134(c) of the Planning Code allows for the reduction of required rear yards within the RH-2 Zoning District to a lot depth generally equal to the average of the rear building walls of the adjacent buildings. The rear yards of the adjacent properties to the south and north are 42.5 feet and 39.5 feet, respectively. The required rear yard for the subject property is thus 42.5 feet.
Planning Code Section 136(c)(25)(ii) allows a two-story, 12 foot-deep building extension within a required rear yard so long as five foot-wide side yards are provided at interior lot lines for the entire length of the extension. A 20 square foot portion of the existing structure would be within the northern side yard required for such an extension. That portion of the existing structure would be retained under this Variance application.
This Variance application concerns only the aforementioned corner of the existing building and is independent of the previous authorization for the lateral addition.
(DAN SIDER)
15. 2001.0788V: 1457 FLORIDA STREET, east side between Cesar Chavez and 26th Streets; Lot 009 in Assessor's Block 4336, in an RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
LOT WIDTH VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to subdivide an existing 43.5 foot-wide by 100 foot-deep lot into two lots, one of 21.5 feet in width and the other of 22 feet in width.
A two-story single-family dwelling exists on the northernmost 19 feet of the existing property and a 20 foot-deep garage structure occupies the balance of the width of the lot at the rear. This proposal would create a new lot on which a three-story two-family dwelling would be built.
Planning Code Section 121(d)(2) requires that in the RH-2 Zoning District each lot have a minimum lot width of 25 feet. Under proposed conditions, both lots would be substandard with respect to lot area.
(DAN SIDER)
16. 2002.0349V: 3066 25th STREET, north side, between Harrison and Alabama Streets; Lot 17 in Assessor’s Block 4270, in an RH-2 (Residential, House, Two-Family) District and a 40-X Height and Bulk District.
OFF-STREET PARKING VARIANCE SOUGHT: The proposal is to construct a kitchen within habitable space on the ground level of the existing single-family dwelling, thus creating an additional dwelling unit. No changes to the exterior of the building are proposed.
Planning Code Section 151 requires that in the RH-2 Zoning one independently accessible off-street parking space be provided for each dwelling unit. The subject property currently provides two off-street parking spaces for the existing dwelling unit, however, contrary to the Planning Code, one of those spaces is a tandem space and is not independently accessible.
Public Comment:
At this time, members of the public may address the Zoning Administrator on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Zoning Administrator except agenda items. With respect to agenda items, your opportunity to address the Zoning Administrator will be afforded when the item is reached in the meeting. Each member of the public may address the Zoning Administrator for up to three minutes.
The Zoning Administrator will not take action on any item not appearing on the posted agenda, including those items raised at public comment. In response to public comment, the Zoning Administrator may:
(1) respond to statements made or questions posed by members of the public; or
(2) request staff to report back on a matter at a subsequent meeting; or
(3) direct staff to place the item on a future agenda. (Government Code Section 54954.2(a))
Adjournment
Last updated: 11/17/2009 10:00:41 PM
